Honeymoon in a monastery

It’s still me, Almostgotit, and I’m so hungry I would eat stone soup if only I could find some. I’ve been thinking that a castle is bit much, and believe I’ll send Sam and Harry to a monastery today instead.  A honeymoon in a monastery: yes, really!   Maybe they will be served soup too.  And maybe, if I find something better to eat today, tomorrow I’ll send them honeymooning to somewhere even more exotic. (Does anyone have a good recipe for Biltong or Bobotie?)

Cabbage Bean Soup for a Crowd

Creative Commons photo by jamelah

While a monastery might seem an ironic place for honeymooners to lodge, many monasteries support themselves by offering guest quarters, a few of them even allowing romantic cohabitation.  Some require guests to observe rules of silence, or to participate in the work and worship of the monks; others merely offer quiet, clean accommodations and good, simple food for body and soul.  This recipe would probably serve an entire monastery full of people. – Almostgotit

Serves 50-60

8 pounds ground chuck
8 onions, chopped
8  14-ounce cans chicken broth
8 14-ounce cans beef broth
8  30-ounce cans diced tomatoes
16 15-oz. cans kidney beans, drained
2 cabbages, sliced
4 pounds carrots, sliced (or baby carrots, cut in half)
3 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
6 cups water

Brown beef with onion.  Drain well.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, approximately one hour.  May add more Worchestershire sauce, garlic, or beef bouillion to taste.  No extra salt is needed.

• Vegetarian monks and other romantic types 
  might prefer this fantastic  “Lively up yourself” Lentil Soup recipe from the fab food blog 101 cookbooks.
• Planning your own monastic honeymoon?
  Here are a few more monasteries that welcome couples:
  Saint John’s Abbey (Collegeville, Minnesota)
  Monastery of the Holy Cross (Chicago, Illinois)
  Private Island Monastery (Luxurious former monastery on a private island near Venice, Italy)
  Buckfast Monastery (Devonshire, England) bonus: besides being in a gorgeous location, the monastery has a restaurant famous for its Devonshire cream teas and treacle tarts!